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It remains too early to declare a shift of racing power but the soaring influence of Qatar and its ruling family could accelerate significantly this weekend, at the very time when the established sheikhs of Dubai may be feeling most vulnerable.

Three years ago, no one could have predicted that a young Qatari sheikh, barely 21 at the time, would take to British racing with such relish that he would become the sport’s principal sponsor and build a formidable string of horses to race for his brothers and himself.

Tomorrow, when the classic season starts at Newmarket, Sheikh Mohammed, ruler